U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,908 issued to Papanu et al. (“the '908 patent”) describes a method of strengthening or restoring strength to flat glass that has been weakened by surface flaws, such as when the glass is cut by scoring and breaking, by coating the glass edges with a strengthening composition. The '908 patent discloses that particularly useful strengthening compositions are aqueous solutions containing silane-based compositions, especially polymerized cross-linked siloxane. The '908 patent further discloses that the strengthening compositions can be applied by spraying, dripping, dipping, painting, or any other techniques suited to the application of liquids, vapors, or aerosols, with painting or brushing being preferred.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/040146 describes preserving the high bend strength of a thin glass substrate by coating the edges of the glass substrate with a polymeric material with coating thickness in a range from 5 μm to about 50 μm using methods such as dipping, painting, spraying, dispensing from a die, or the like.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0285260 to Bookbinder et al. describes a method of strengthening glass edges by over-molding the glass edges with a polymer using processes such as injection molding.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0285277 to Edwards et al. describes a method of strengthening glass edges by bonding a metallic material to the glass edges.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0221501 to Chen et al. describes a method of strengthening glass edges by bonding a shaped fiber to the glass edges.